The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the ornamental flowering shrub Lagerstroemia indica commonly known as crape myrtle, and hereafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sweet Macchiato’.
Lagerstroemia ‘Sweet Macchiato’ originated from open-pollinated seed of Lagerstroemia ‘Whit VI’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,438 collected by the inventor in the fall of 2010 at a cultivated area in Raleigh, N.C., USA. The new plant was grown out in a full-sun, loamy-sand field environment with water as needed and passed rigorous evaluations at the same nursery with goals for this program to produce improved, garden-worthy plants for the ornamental plant market of quality flower color and improved habit that would withstand cold temperatures. The single new plant meeting these criteria was originally assigned breeder code H10-02-28.
No plants of Lagerstroemia ‘Sweet Macchiato’ have been sold, in this country or anywhere in the world, prior to the filing of this application, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made prior to the filing of this application with the exception of that which may have been disclosed within one year of the filing of this application and was either derived directly or indirectly from the inventor.
Lagerstroemia ‘Sweet Macchiato’ was first asexually propagated from a single select plant in 2012 by stem cuttings at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The resultant asexually propagated plants have been found to be stable and true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.